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It's summer and that means summer movies! Check out the new Johnny Depp film, Public Enemies, which is based on a book by Penguin author, Bryan Burrough.

About the book:

"Ludicrously entertaining" (Time), Public Enemies is the story of the most spectacular crime wave in American history, the two-year battle between the young J. Edgar Hoover, his FBI and an assortment of criminals who became national icons: John Dillinger, Machine Gun Kelly, Bonnie and Clyde, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and the Barkers. In an epic feat of storytelling, Burrough reveals a web of interconnections within the vast American underworld and demonstrates how Hoover's G-men overcame their early fumbles to secure the FBI's rise to power. Listen to a podcast with author Bryan Burrough for his book The Big Rich.

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This weekend is World Wide Knit in Public Day(s)! And, so is next weekend! Yes, it's true-and no longer a one day event. WWKiP Day started in 2005, now spans two weekends. Get those knitting needles ready!

What, you might ask, is WWKiP Day? Well, it's just what it sounds like. Around the world people are planning events in public spots to knit with their fellow knitters. While in New York, this is not so uncommon an occurrence, in other less populated places (or quirky; take your pick), knitting can be quite a solitary engagement. That's why WWKiP Day was founded to get knitters together and share the yarn love. To find a WWKiP event near you, check out their website.

Now that the pressure is on to knit something that will be on public display, allow us to make a suggestion about what to knit. Come July, the awesome Wacky Baby Knits will find its way into bookstores. But since WWKiP Day is this weekend (or next, depending on your observance) here are two taster patterns for you; they're so cute! And if you don't have a baby or know one, maybe you can alter the pattern to fit yourself.

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On Thursday, April 30, the annual Edgar Awards were held at the Grand Hyatt in New York. The awards are sponsored by the preeminent mystery writers organization in the U.S., the Mystery Writers of America, and the statuette is an eerie bust (think John Waters but with longer hair) of Edgar Allen Poe. (Click here for a photo of Putnam's bestselling author, Sue Grafton, accepting the 2009 Grand Master award from Otto Penzler, owner of The Mysterious Bookshop) The unique aspect of the Edgars is that it is, and always has been, a place where the biggest names in the mystery world (Sue Grafton, Lee Child, Harlan Coben) companionably and accessibly wander about, chatting with aspiring and first-time mystery writers. It is often said that the mystery writer community is the warmest and most supportive of its own, and at this year's banquet, the current President of the Mystery Writers Association, Lee Child, exhorted bestselling authors to give blurbs and advice and all manner of support to up-and-coming writers--especially needed in the current economic period.

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In celebration of National Poetry Month, Penguin Group's Diversity Committee held a poetry contest. The winner by unanimous vote is "ALLEN GINSBERG SIGHTING, 1988" by Jeffrey Freiert, Copywriter in Berkeley's editorial department.

ALLEN GINSBERG SIGHTING, 1988

One of the best minds of an older generation
sat in the Kiev, that East Village diner

not starving, hysterical, or naked
but clothed, calm, and eating babka.

From the street we peered through the glass
to watch the bald, bearded poet nosh.

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To wrap up our celebration of National Poetry Month we've listed the ten great poems we shared in April via our Twitter Feed (ordered newest to oldest)!

1. "Spleen" by Arthur Symons from the Penguin Classics book DECADENT POETRY
   
   Listen: http://song.ly/4ajo


2. "Untitled poem" by Filipino poet Jose Garcia Villa from the Penguin Classics DOVEGLION: COLLECTED POEMS
   
   Listen: http://song.ly/3tyh


3. "At the Window" by American poet T.S. Eliot from the Penguin Classics THE WASTE LAND AND OTHER POEMS
   
   Listen: http://song.ly/3jic

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With only 32 days until the French Open, marking the official start of the summer season, tennis fanatics everywhere are dusting off the rackets after a long winter and wondering--will Federer take back his crown? Will the Williams sisters continue their domination? Will this season's glories belong to a new star? Will it rain for more than 80% of the time at Wimbledon? Who knows!

What we do know is a little bit more about Monica Seles, and a lot about John McEnroe thanks to these books, sure to bring out the tennis aficionado in everyone.

Getting a Grip: On My Body, My Mind, My Self
By Monica Selas

Book: Hardcover | 9.25 x 6.25in | 304 pages | ISBN 9781583333303 | 21 Apr 2009 | Avery | 18 - AND UP 

$26.00 - Add to Cart

Synopsis:

For those of you tuned into this past season's Dancing with the Stars, it's hard to believe that spectacularly fit former tennis champion Monica Seles struggled with binge-eating and depression.

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The first Earth Day, in 1970, attracted participants in the millions across the United States. Environmental activists, who were inspired by the anti-Vietnam War protests, wanted to create awareness about the environment. Today, Earth Day is celebrated around the world and participants are believed to be in the billions. National Geographic has a feature on the history of Earth Day here.

The things you can do to help the environment can be small or large-whether you turn off a light when you aren't in the room, or start composting in your backyard-every "little" action can help contribute to being less wasteful. The Earth Day Network has some ideas on what you can do this Earth Day here.

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The April Spring Sports Extravaganza continues with a tribute to soccer - er, you know, football! Quite possibly the world's most popular sport, soccer certainly has a great number of fanatical fans!

Penguin also pays tribute to this worldwide wonder sport with several new publications!

Kick the Balls by Alan Black
An Offensive Suburban Odyssey

Listen to a podcast with the author. 

Coming to Paperback May 26, 2009!

Book: Hardcover | 9.25 x 6.25in | 272 pages | ISBN 9781594630477 | 12 Jun 2008 | Hudson Street Press | 18 - AND UP

$23.95 - Add to Cart

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To celebrate National Poetry Month, Penguin will continue sharing poems via our Twitter Feed every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through the end of April!

Here is a list of the poems we've shared so far:

"The Ruined Maid" by English poet Thomas Hardy

from Penguin Classics collection SELECTED POEMS by Thomas Hardy

Listen: http://song.ly/2y3t

"Origin of the Days" by contemporary African American poet Terrance Hayes

from HIP LOGIC

Listen: http://song.ly/2s74

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The Spring Sports Extravaganza continues with a tribute to the green mile!

That's right, Penguin has branded golf balls! The Box of 3 Titleist NXT® golf balls features a 392 mulit-dimple icosachedral design, in combination with a resilient Fusablend® cover providing more controlled ball flight for even longer distance while maintaining a soft feel tee-through-green.

Golf Quotes from Penguin Authors:

"Golf is so popular simply because it is the best game in the world at which to be bad."  ~A.A. Milne

"Golf is a good walk spoiled." ~Mark Twain

"It's good sportsmanship not to pick up lost balls while they are still rolling." ~Mark Twain

"The uglier a man's legs are, the better he plays golf. It's almost a law." ~H.G. Wells, Bealby, 1915